Introduction to award winners

• 4th Laureates
• 3rd Laureates
• 2nd Laureates
• 1st Laureates

• Basic areas
  Study of a radical-preferred frameworks
  
  Although organic radicals can be used in various areas, including catalysts, sensors, and electrochemical energy storage, they are unstable meaning that it is difficult to develop materials containing radicals. Plus, once they cease to exist, they require a high level of energy for re-introduction. To address these limitations, Professor Jinhee Park intends to utilize radical π-stacks that are formed through a strategy of stabilizing a radical itself as a building block to further suggest a method for synthesizing a new radical-preferred frameworks.
  
  The charge separation of radical materials increases their ability to adsorb guest molecules and can be used as a catalyst that enables the continued generation of ROS without the need for any irradiation. This project is expected to play a leading role in the development of a self-assembled organic radical-porous platform, which is a new area that is yet to be preempted elsewhere in the world.
• Basic areas
  Design of a superbasic dual functional organic catalyst and its application to asymmetric reactions
  
  The project led by Professor Yunmi Lee aims to design and synthesize a dual functional chiral organic catalyst and apply it to the development of various asymmetric organic reactions. The development of an asymmetric catalysis that enables efficient synthesis of chiral compounds has constantly been sought after and establishing a new chiral catalytic system with excellent reactivity can translate into the development of reactions with high selectivity rather than a single reaction.
  
  Products from asymmetric additions and fluoridation reactions are a highly value-added substance applicable to a wide range of areas, including organic synthesis, medicine manufacture and chemical materials. Fluoride compounds are also expected to play a pivotal role in new drug development as they account for 20% of new drugs currently under development.
  
  
• Application areas
  Development of a cathode in aqueous rechargeable Li-ion batteries (LIB) with a 3.5 V potential window
  
  Non-aqueous LIBs, demand for which has further increased since the declaration of carbon neutrality, have some serious flaws, such as their susceptibility to fires and their high price, neither of which can be improved without the development of more original and innovative batteries. The project led by Professor Hyeryung Byon aims to develop a stable and affordable aqueous LIB with a cycle performance and energy density that is comparable to those of non-aqueous LIBs, consequently developing an aqueous LIB with a potential window of approximately 3.5 V by reforming the interface between the aqueous electrolytic solution and the electrode.
  
  As electrochemical reactions at the interface and the structure of an electrical double layer are still unknown research fields, findings from this project are expected to contribute to the commercialization of safe and affordable aqueous LIBs and to meet the needs from the ESS market, thereby exerting effects on both basic and applied research.
• Application areas
  Realization of a multiple numeral system (quinary or higher) organic logic inverter using the structural control of a molecular switch
  
  As semiconductor scaling reaches its limit due to issues, such as device instability caused by heat, the multiple numeral system logic circuit, which can perform the same operation with a smaller number of devices, is now emerging as a substitute. In this context, attention is being given to the development of a ternary inverter that can perform the same operation with 63% of the number of binary inverters.
  
  The project led by Professor Daesung Chung aims to introduce a diarylethene molecular switch to a ternary inverter to adjust the resistance of each semiconductor through a light source with a certain wavelength, thereby realizing an inverter that can perform quinary or higher operations. Developing such an inverter that is capable of performing quinary or higher operations will enable the same operations with less than a half of the number of devices required for the existing semiconductors, consequently providing a breakthrough solution for the huge challenges that face semiconductor scaling, such as cost reduction and energy efficiency maximization.

• Basic areas
  High-precision assembly of DNA-coated colloidal transistors
  
  The directed self-assembly process was proposed as the next-generation semiconductor manufacturing process, and a lot of research has been conducted, but as research for assembling nano materials at a certain location has such low precision, a lot of improvement must be made. Prof. Gira Yi’s research project aims to manufacture distributable transistor devices for overcoming this limit and use DNA to assemble them at a certain location.
  
  Research on the manufacturing of colloidal transistors and DNA-coated assembly can improve the existing top-down device manufacturing process, which was difficult as the 2D plane was utilized. Plus, as they can be applied to the assembly of DNA-coated nano materials, they can be used for a variety of purposes, e.g. the nano optical device, solar cell, smart window and quantum computer manufacturing process.
• Basic areas
  Study on the synthesis of multi-heterocycles using the nickel catalyst
  
  Prof. Eunjin Cho‘s research project aims to implement a nickel catalyst system that is not sensitive and reacts in mild conditions to then use it to synthesize various functional heteropolycycles.
  
  Over the years various methods of synthesizing heterocycles have been developed, but the synthesis of heterocycles with several substituents took a lot of time and cost. It seems that this study will make it possible to synthesize heteropolycyclic compound derivatives with various substituents, which were not easy to synthesize, and build a new library. The completed synthesis roadmap will make it possible to explore structure-activity relationship in new drug development and research on biomedical sciences and materials. This study is expected to contribute to the development of related fields.
  
  
• Application areas
  2D and 3D printing of 3D colloidal arrays for customizable structural-color patterns
  
  Prof. Shinhyun Kim’s research project aims to recognize the limits of the standardized pattern production technology with a single structural color in the age of technological sensibility and realize a structural-color for 2D/3D printing and colloidal self-array through the direct writing of the photopolymerizable colloid ink that can overcome this limit.
  
  It will be possible to lead the high-sensitivity optical materials technology by implementing various colors and color sense, which cannot be implemented by chemical pigments, by imitating the structural colors of nature and commercializing structural pigments with high thermal stability and low toxicity, and patternize aesthetic structural-colors without pigments in various areas of our daily life, e.g. various clothes and accessories, contact lenses and smartphones.
• Application areas
  Organic redox transistors and their applications in artificial synaptic transistors
  
  Prof. Joonhak Oh’s research project aims to develop channels for the high-performance organic redox transistors channel and solid electrolyte materials and develop a new organic artificial synapse with maximum driving performance through process optimization for the first time in the world.
  
  As the redox transistor accompanied by the redox reaction of the gate electrode can control the energy barrier through gate voltage, it is possible to achieve high retention and low programming voltage at the same time. The research results are expected to lay down the foundation for and secure an original material, device and system technology of the next AI semiconductor that can overcome the limit of the synapse device, and secure future technological competitiveness in the rapidly growing neuromorphic device industry.

• Basic areas
  Development of organic synthesis method using short life cycle carbonilator in polarization of polarization
  
  Professor Heejin Kim's task is to achieve a direct polarity reversal reaction by creating an asyl anion intermediate that has metal atoms introduced into carbon while maintaining carbon-oxygen double bonds of carbonyl, and quickly utilizing the short life medium for synthetic reactions before being consumed by negative reactions.
  
  This study will redefine the concept of organic reactions based on partial charges of carbon and oxygen in carbonyl. It is also expected to expand the universality of research by converting to various compounds by using pro-electronic bodies.
  
  
• Basic areas
  Synthesis of catalytic nanoparticles by control of growth mechanism
  
  Professor Jungwon Park's task is to establish a new paradigm of synthesizing the uniform structure Ensemble by adjusting the formation mechanism of nanoparticles, and apply it to solve the difficult problem of nanoparticles synthesis.
  
  It is expected that the Ab initio synthesis approach, which utilizes the new platform to understand the multidisciplinary mechanism and uses it to control synthesis, will be applicable to a variety of material synthesis. This allows the synthesis of uniformly controlled nanoparticles, such as alloy, core/shell, and semiconductor, as well as surface structure and Defect, and is expected to extend to other material systems.
• Application areas
  Color-changeable for external environment change and risk diagnosis development of smart particles and paint
  
  Professor Bumjoon Kim's task is to develop naturally shaped polymeric particles that can change color at each stimulus so that it can easily detect changes in the outside environment such as temperature, light, gas and pressure with paint materials used in buildings or paints.
  
  The technology of the task is capable of producing paint consisting only of high-molecular particles, which have great differentiation in the simplification and functionality of paint making. In addition, the emulsion-based technology is likely to make high-molecular particles on aqueous solution so that they are not harmful to the environment and can be easily applied to existing paint manufacturing processes, making it easier to commercialize and cost-saving.
• Application areas
  A study on artificial wastes based on nanospring structure for avoiding immunity rejection
  
  Professor Jeong Kim, through this task, introduces a new concept of surface structure and characteristics that can be stealthy so as to have ideal blood compatibility on the surface of the artificial lung, and studies the structure in which the blood does not recognize the existence of the artificial lung itself.
  
  The new stealth material, which is a major research area, can be applied to a variety of blood contact devices, and is expected to advance the artificial organ technology of the human body. In addition, it will serve as a turning point for expanding the existing separation film technology, which is concentrated in water treatment and gas separation, into healthcare.

• Basic areas
  Developing proteasome-based protein scissors equivalent to genetic scissors
  
  Prof. Lee Min-jae will develop a method of selecting and removing certain proteins through the artificial evolution of proteasome, and conduct research to degrade specifically pathogenic proteins and prove that it can be used as a new method of treating proteopathic diseases. As a result, it is expected to become an important turning point in overcoming various diseases like degenerative brain diseases.
  
  In particular, if it is successful as a method of providing a downstream solution for various proteins that are accumulated abnormally, it is expected to be a safer and more effective method than genetic conversion.
  
  
• Basic areas
  Developing high-efficiency olefin metathesis catalyst based on amphoteric N-Heterocyclic Carbene
  
  Prof. Lee Eun-seong is planning to overcome the limits of existing studies on nucleophilic N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and study olefin metathesis catalyst synthesis and reactivity, to which amphoteric NHC is introduced, and develop the first iron-based olefin metathesis catalyst based on amphoteric NHC.
  
  It will be possible to preempt the original technology for developing the next-generation olefin metathesis catalyst in the future catalytic chemistry market. It is expected that if the amphoteric NHC system is applied, it will also be used as an academically and industrially valuable catalytic system by using iron as the catalyst instead of expensive ruthenium.
• Application areas
  Developing a new hybrid functional electronic device system utilizing the junction between organic unimolecular materials and two-dimensional materials
  
  The objective of Prof. Wang Geon-wook’s research project is to make completely different vertical molecular transistors and implement the world’s first logic element (NAND/NOR, inverter) based on this. Due to this study, it is expected that it can be commercialized as the key materials/elements of next-generation electronic devices which require low power and super-light weight. It will also be possible to secure original technology related to future elements and make important advances in molecular electronics.
  
  Drastically improving 2-dimensional functional electronic materials is regarded as a very challenging and creative project.
  
  
• Application areas
  Developing new high-capacity lithium secondary battery anode materials using only oxygen anion oxidation-reduction
  
  The objective of Prof. Lee Yoon-jeong’s project is to implement anode materials with high energy density by synthesizing materials whose nano-size catalytic material wrap Li₂O. As the capacity of lithium secondary batteries can be increased, it will be used widely for mobile ICT, electric vehicles, ESS, etc. It will be possible to develop related industries and preempt the next-generation energy technology.
  
  Also, as studies on interface reaction and catalytic and electrochemistry can be widely used in air batteries, catalytic chemistry and electrochemistry elements, it is expected to contribute to the development of similar disciplines.